engleski

From the general to the detail soil monitoring of children playgrounds in the City of Ljubljana

Soils in urban areas can often be loaded with potential contaminants from industrial and urban sources. Potential pollution mainly occurs in two ways: i) via air due to emissions from factories, energy and heating systems, traffic, etc. ; ii) using contaminated soils during construction works. Chemical substances and elements accumulate in soils ; however, general soil fertility is usually satisfactory for growing grass. The main pathways of contaminants from soil/ground to children are inhalation of soil dust and/or ingestion of soil particles from the hands or toys. The contaminated soil therefore represents a hidden threat for children’s health that can be addressed via systematic monitoring of playgrounds. In 2006 the City of Ljubljana decided to assess the quality of children’s playgrounds in all 23 public kindergartens (95 playgrounds). The main objective of the project was to get quantitative data about soil pollution and the information about the maintenance of grass cover on the playgrounds. The first step of the investigation was to obtain information about how and when the playground was built, a detailed overview of playground surface, and taking soil samples. Evaluation of the results was done according to Slovenian legislation – Decree on limit, warning and critical concentration values of dangerous substances in soil (Off.G.RS No.68/96). During the monitoring process, preliminary instructions and general rules were given to the competent staff of the kindergartens and the City of Ljubljana. More detailed instructions about the potential risk and how to avoid soil dusting were handed over to those kindergartens were contaminants exceeded warning value. Even more detailed soil sampling to assess horizontal and vertical extent of pollution was done on the playgrounds were Hg and Pb exceeded critical value. The playgrounds were remediated, with the most contaminated part of the soil being removed. Detailed monitoring of new soil and all other materials was conducted during the restoration process.

soil monitoring, contamination of children’s playgrounds, Pb, Hg, PAHs, restoration, guidelines

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